We used to use that as a specific tactic in my 'group' though non-lethally. Lag back about 50 ft from the lead then come up and say 'hi' behind. Usually breaks the target lock hard enough to fall over. Once resulted in a take-down of the wingman but the pit bull was more scared than the wingman. Never came off it's property after that though ;)

Not bike related but; my father told me that my grandfather was the 'go-to' guy to deal with ill-mannered dogs in Minneapolis back in the 20's. The neighbors would tell him where the dog lived and he would go for an evening stroll by there. He would walk with a white oak cane in his left hand and a blackthorn cane over his right shoulder. When the dog attacked he would occupy it with the one cane and then BANG! The blackthorn cane would practically lay the dog out cold. He was a blacksmith in the Swedish Cavalry before he immigrated to America and he never had to teach a dog twice not to attack children or adults, He never had much trouble with the owners either.

I have a 110gram bottle of Sabre Red pepper spray attached to my stem for easy reach. Good for dogs, ducks, geese, and any other feathered or furred creature that may snip, bite, or attack, or even the 2 legged ones if ever needed.

a long these lines I've been told and used. "SIT".

Nearly feel off bike laughing when rather large pit bull sat while running full speed. His rear sat his front ran.

Pit bulls down here, have a couple hundred years of selective breading to HUNT HUMANS.

Unpleasant as that thought is, it is history.

So yes, subservient to it's master, but NOT to it's prey.

Maybe its just me, but when I tried yelling the command "SIT" or "GO HOME!" it just seemed to anger the damn dog even more. Pedaling fast works but some dogs on a mission will keep up with you for a couple miles and probably isn't suggested for someone riding 10mph on a full loaded bike. My former riding partner would unclip and swing his foot to try to imprint his cleat on the dog's head. I don't think that ever worked though.

Nope. Not pit bulls. There were other breeds used to track slaves but pit bulls weren't breed until after the US Civll War and they were breed for bull and bear fights then later for dog fighting.

Even the dog that were used to track slaves could be made subservient to any human. Solomon Northrup in "Twelve Years a Slave" speaks of surreptitiously training his owner's dog not to follow him.

Yeah, worth a try.

Back home on dirt bike's we had a pit bull trained to chase the dirt bikes (and bite). He was good for > 25. A friends golden retriever was good for 30. She was amazing she could hold it for a surprising distance.

It is unlikely you can outrun a respectable dog if it is determined. Getting out of it's turf will be enough for most.

I'll dismount if the dog is serious about a confrontation. And let him know, he's getting into more then he wants.

What's in a name.

Same damn dogs, same damn people.

And no not "track". HUNT. Hide behind words to excuse the actions.

And it did not end in 1865, nor was it ended by 1945, not even 1965...

There are houses not a mile from where I sit where the dogs are trained to attack people.
And they laugh when they do.
They might not be trained to stay off the couch...

One time the owner only got involved after I made it clear to the dog I'd kill it if it came closer. And he was not mad at the dog, I was on a public road.

Never really had a dog problem. I like dogs and generally am able to either bond with them in some capacity or just tell them to back off and things turn out ok.

The goal should be to get away from the dog without harm to the dog. A loud whistle can do the trick as could maybe a water bottle spray. Pepper spray is generally a horrible idea and isn't always legal everywhere and for most people isn't safe unless you know how to use it properly and responsibly.

Tell us more about why pepper spray is a "horrible" idea. Is that just your opinion or do you have some documentation to back it up? I've pepper sprayed a few dogs in my years on the planet and nothing "horrible" ever came of it.

Oh, please. If someone was actively training dogs to attack people and then using them to attack people, law enforcement would get involved quickly. If, for some reason, law enforcement didn't get involved, civil courts would. Dogs that attack people don't live long and people who train a dog to attack humans don't keep their property for long.

I didn't have much luck "bonding" with the new pit bull mix in the neighborhood. Maybe it's just me.

On reality's side, I have tried the damned whistle. And talking to the dog. Does not work every time. And let's face it, all it takes is one bad experience and even vegan, will re-evaluate his/her goal. Pepper spray is actually a pretty good compromise, compared to ammonia, a firearm etc.

Just remember, it's not always possible to pick up a piece of **** by the clean end.

Probably just you or something you did. Pitbulls aside from all the lies posted about them are generally quite sweet and loving dogs. I know a whole lot of people who can call pitbulls part of their family and have never once been worried about anything bad happening to me when I am around them (aside from being licked a lot and having sleeping troubles on the couch because they take up a good deal of space while cuddling)

I have been around dogs, I got bitten once many years ago and my goals haven't been reevaluated because the dog was protecting their self and their family. I didn't know what the heck I was doing so I approached quickly and well you have been told the rest. It was an error I made not the fault of the dog. I could blame the dog because it would be easier to do that. In most situations it is easier to blame someone else. However it is just bad practice and doesn't help anyone.

However sometimes the people who are supposed to care for the dog do a **** job. That is why using your water bottle as a sprayer is a better idea. You spray the dog with water and then get out of the situation. Your goal in all self defense situations is to get away quickly and to a safe space. The idea is not to put yourself or others in more harms way and pepper spray can do that. Depending on wind and other conditions that stuff could turn bad for you or those around you. It could also end up harming the dog which could create other problems.

Maybe the Animal control officer will run sweep behind you and you will be the lure to bring the dogs out ,

and then
they Pound will catch them . and the dog owner then has to deal with the authorities and pay fines to get their dog back .

Don't further antagonise pursuing dogs. Maybe keep a couple biscuits in your pocket, stop and befriend the dog. It's someone's family member and by attacking it you're putting yourself at risk. Dogs are hard-wired to pursue animals that run but that doesn't mean they wish you harm. If you stop they might behave aggressively for a bit but eventually they'll ignore you. They have short attention spans.

Utility meter readers are real experts in dealing with aggressive dogs. The meter readers around here carry a repellant spray called Halt, which is made for dogs. My bike shop sells this stuff.

Halt has a belt clip that can be attached to brake or shifter cables right by your hands for easy access. Its cheap protection that really works. It produces effective, but temporary, discomfort to the dog. My daughter's mailman sprayed her feisty terrier recently, and he came home yelping; an hour later, he was back to normal.

+1

Halt is a VERY weak capsicum spray, and not worth carrying. Most taco sauces have more Scoville Heat Units than Halt. As a mail carrier, that is all we were allowed to carry. Sooo worthless, I wouldn't even carry the stuff. Read my prior post.

"Oh, please" yourself! I've seen this first hand. It DOES happen. The people used to loose the dog, say "Git 'im!!", and laugh like hell. BTDT while riding my bike, and BTDT while delivering mail for 33 years. Law enforcement? Are you kidding me??? There are only two sheriff cars in the whole county, and the don't have the time to respond to a 'loose dog' complaint. And even if they did, what could they do? They'd have to see the incident. Court system? See previous. First you'd have to be able to PROVE something in a court of law. Do you have video and sound footage? No? Otherwise it is you vs the owner. Witnesses? Ha! Ol' Bubba can get old Jim-bob to say that he saw the rider tease the dog before it attacked the rider. Lawyers cost money.

How do you explain the widespread use of Halt if it isn't effective. The market usually weeds out products that don't perform as advertised, and Halt has been around for decades.

The object is to deter an aggressive dog, not disable it. Its better than a squirt of water, but less blinding than Fox Law Enforcement Formula (2% capsicum).

In my area the system is more responsive to legitimate claims of bad dog behavior than your neck of the woods where video proof is necessary.

The complainant's reputation for integrity does count, and folks like "Ol' Bubba" usually have a history of disregard for fellow citizens. Bubba's dog probably has a reputation, too. Sheriffs are good at sensing the truth, and juries have a way of sorting it out, if its necessary to bother the court.

I'll rely on my reputation for integrity against Bubba's any day, with confidence.

Because in many areas, stronger sprays are prohibited by law. The people who approve those laws are not the ones out there having to deal with problem dogs!

Having been issued Halt! by the USPS, I can objectively say that it is next to worthless, maybe even worse than not carrying it at all. I had a can with me in my car/truck because I was required to have it, but I never used it on a dog in 33 years. I was never bitten by a dog I saw first. The four that did get me all snuck up from behind, so Halt! would have not done any good.

If you have ever discharged that can in the past, or if the can was exposed to high temperature, the seal will leak all pressure over the course of a few weeks. So the next time you need it, it will not work! This is the same sort of issue there is with a dry-chemical fire extinguisher - once used they should be recharged -- but at least an extinguisher has a pressure gauge! Halt! doesn't.

Halt! shoots a pencil stream, maybe 10' on a good day in a no-wind situation. Oh, and to be effective, you must get that weak pencil stream of mild taco sauce in the target's eyes and nose. Have you ever tried to actually hit a moving target with a pencil stream? Did you check the wind direction and speed first?

Ask hikers what they carry in bear country. It isn't Halt!, nor is Halt! even recommended. Halt is barely 1Million Scoville units. They recommend a more powerful spray fog!

As for me? When I'm riding, I carry the most powerful (Fox 5.3 cone fog - 5.3Million Scoville units) because I do not stop, I'm moving! The fog spray shot behind me - where the dog will likely be - it will get some in the face. The Fox spray also contains a UV dye so if you do want to file a complaint afterwards (not sticking around at the scene to incur the wrath of Ol' Bubba for spraying his dog), the dog will have the dye marker on it. Makes for a better 'case'.

a doggie snack disguising actually being a fragmentation grenade?